Apparatus for harvesting vegetable crops

Device for harvesting vegetable crops from the ground, which vegetable crops have a stem and a crown supported by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, said device comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame onward over the ground, a cutter for severing the stem, a second drive for the cutter, a stripper for stripping the leaves from the stem, and a third drive for moving the stripper vertically downwards along the stem for in the stripper's strip position stripping the leaves from the stem.

Method for harvesting vegetable crops from the ground, which vegetable crops have a stem and a crown supported by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, wherein prior to severing the stem for detaching the crown from the ground, a stripper is brought into engagement with the stem under the crown in the upper part of the stem and is subsequently urged downwards along the stem while stripping the leaves from the stem, after which the stem is severed by a cutter.